music & lyrics
by PoetryRebel
Summary: "A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction. Sex," Ally started. For a shy girl, she had no hesitation. "I'm following," Austin said. "Then, as you get to know the person, that's the lyrics. Their story, who they are underneath. It's the combination of the two that makes it magic." / in which Austin is a one-hit wonder, in need of a partner. auslly
1. plant girl

**Okay. First off, yes this is based off Music & Lyrics the movie, I'm not plagiarizing or claiming it as my own, I'm just using the plot and giving full credit, and I'm not making anything from this, it's fan fiction bro.**

**Anyway. This is my new multichap and I'd just love it so much if you could review. It starts out a little slow but just to get the background of it. This is total auslly.**

_Double Take was one of 2011's biggest songs…it surfed the net, making teen girls scream everywhere, following various songs with slightly less popularity. Soon after it's rise to stardom, fans became increasingly bored and soon moved onto the next hottest trend, T-Fame. But can you remember the name of the famous Double Take singer?_

_Whatever happened to Austin Moon? Tonight we find out on Battle of the One Hit Wonders._

The monitor that had been extended to Austin zoomed back out and the network manager set his remote down.

"We think it's gonna be bigger than American Idol. What do you think, Austin?" he asked, taking a seat next to his very attractive secretary.

"I love it. It's awesome," he said. Truthfully, he hadn't paid much attention to the video.

"Good for you," the secretary started. "Some of the people we've worked with have a little bit of trouble with being called ah, a one hit wonder."

Austin bit his lip. "I don't care. I'm a happy one hit wonder, really. I live in the past. Really takes the pressure off, especially on a first date."

He winked gingerly at the secretary, whose name suggested by her name tag was Cassidy. She smiled.

"So we've already taped several shows, and we're going to start airing them this month. You can appear whenever you want."

"How many songs would I get to perform? I just love performing, when the crowd is screaming my name, _Austin, Austin-"_

His chanting was cut short by Cassidy. "We can't promise any of the acts they'll be singing."

He wrinkled his brows. "Then what will we be doing?"

"Boxing," the network manager said. "That's why the show is called The _Battle_ of the one hit wonders. Only the winner gets to sing."

"Oh…" Austin said. He shrugged and slunk back in his swivel chair. "Can I get some pancakes?"

/

"Man, I had no idea they meant boxing, nobody said a word to me, I swear," Dez said, as Austin entered his lavish apartment. His manager was currently pacing back and forth, suspenders clanking the ground as he did so.

"It's no problem, buddy, I can _definitely_ take T-Fame. I did a tour with him last year and he cried like a little girl over a bee-sting."

"It's my fault, but I'm not upset, and you know why?" Dez said, brimming with excitement.

"You're blinded by your heavily colored suspenders?" Austin asked.

Dez ignored the comment and continued his pacing, where he picked up a magazine. An attractive feminine face was on the cover. "Her. Biggest star in the world, Kira Starr. Bigger than Britney and Taylor put together. And guess who she loves?"

"Her country?" Austin said, taking a seat in his beanbag chair.

"You. She's a huge Austin Moon fan and she wants to meet you!"

He glanced at his watch. "My plant lady will be up here in a few. Can you hurry it up, Dez?"

Dez rolled his eyes. "Why do you have a plant lady? Why do you even have plants?"

"Because," Austin started, "from time to time, ladies come back to my apartment. One said that plants make women comfortable. Of course, they'd be comfortable enough with me, but I figured it couldn't hurt."

"Is that true? Plants make women comfortable?" Dez asked. "Maybe that's why I'm divorced. No plants."

"Yes, Dez, that was the problem. Not Mindy's possessiveness or the fact she was INSANE, but your lack of vegetation."

The doorbell rang and Austin sprung up to get it. He opened the door to find a petite brunette in a flowy dress standing. She was beautiful and Austin couldn't resist the chance to flirt.

"Helloooo, there," he said, clicking his teeth.

"Hi, I'm Ally Dawson."

"Austin Moon, why are you here? You're too-"

Before he could finish the word attractive, she started babbling.

"You didn't get the message from Christina?"

"No, I haven't listened to my-"

"She was supposed to let you know I'd be doing your plants, while she's on vacation."

"Okay, then," Austin murmured. "Come on in."

"Thank you," she said. "I hope you have your own watering can. Jane told me everyone had their own, but this last guy, Mr. Frank, about 80, he didn't have his own can, so he starts yelling at me and screaming at me in German. I'm fluent enough to know what he's saying, and ya haven't been cursed at until you've been cursed out in German."

Damn, she could talk.

"I know what you mean, I dated a German girl once. Plant stuff is in the kitchen under the sink, _and I have my own can,"_ he said, as if that was supposed to be an impressive feat.

"Oh, well, _vielen dankes,_" she said, chuckling at her own German. Dez trotted up to her.

"Hi, I'm Dez Fisher, Austin's manager."

"Ally Dawson, pleasure. So…kitchen?" she said, looking around for it. Austin and Dez pointed and she scurried off.

"_So,_ Kira Starr, huh? How great is that? Do you believe it, man?" Dez said, brimming with excitement.

"All right, wait, wait, wait, is it even a good idea? Pros and Cons?" Austin asked, and he could've sworn her heard Ally said _'I love pros and cons list!' _in the background.

"Pros? She's a huge star, great publicity, terrific money, terrific FACE," Dez said.

"Cons?"

"No matter what we do, in 70 years we'll both be dead," Dez finished.

"Huge star, great publicity, terrific money, terrific face versus death. I guess we can go for it."

"Good, because Kira is shooting a video tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Tonight."

Austin and Dez heard a girlish yelp from behind them, and he whirled his head around to see Ally with her finger in her mouth. "You alright?"

"Do you have a band-aid and anti-biotic cream?" she asked, dropping the watering can. He figured she must have pricked her finger on the cactus needles.

"No?" Austin said.

"Well, then, I'm gonna go because, you know this could get infected. It's not clotting yet, but I mean, I'm a little hypochondriac, you just can never be too careful. Anyways, I'll come back and finish," she said, grabbing her stuff and walking out the door.

"So come again, I mean, you live here, I'll come again. I'm gonna go get this looked at. You should really have a first-aid kit. Thank you, have a good night."

Ally shut the door briskly behind her and Dez and Austin looked at each other.

"Weird," Dez said. Austin almost pointed out how stupid it was for him to call someone else weird.

"Yeah," he said.

"Don't give her a key," Dez said.

"Nope."

/

Kira Starr's video was a bit more…sexual than Austin had in mind. She was wearing possibly _the_ most revealing outfit ever. Her dance moves were more like bedroom moves... It was creepy, considering the Buddha statue behind her.

"She seems like a very spiritual kid," Dez said. Sadly, there was no sarcasm or irony in his voice.

"Always nice to see young women exploring religion," Austin said, shaking his head.

_I'm not satisfied if I don't get_

_My Buddha's delight_

"And CUT," a voice rang out, and Kira emerged from the fake fog with an older man and a muscled one with a name tag labeled _Face Puncher. _How reassuring, Austin thought.

The older one extended a hand to Austin. "Hey, I'm Jimmy Starr, Kira's manager. And her father."

The muscled one simply grunted.

Austin shook his hand and hunched an eyebrow. "And you don't have a problem with her dancing like this?"

"Dancing like what, Daddy?" Kira asked.

"Nothing," Austin said, "never mind."

"About this song," Jimmy said. Kira cut in.

"You see, I recently broke up with my boyfriend. We had been together for almost two months. It was awful. But then I read a book by Guru Mathashavi called A Way Back Into Love. That will be the title of our new song."

"Guru Mathashavi?!" Dez squealed. "I _love_ her."

Kira smiled warmly. "We also want to put the track on my new album, so we need it by Friday."

"This Friday?!" Austin replied.

"Yeah, but don't feel any pressure. We've got seven other artists in the studio, so if you mess up, we're covered," Kira said. She smiled brightly and Dez returned the smile.

Austin gulped, looking worried.

"Mr. Moon, don't look at this as competition. If it's meant to be, it will be. It's destiny. Or…not."

/

"I can't write a song by Friday!" Austin yelled as they were walking down the dimly lit streets.

"You can't write a song period. You mean you can't hire a lyricist to accompany your melodies," Dez corrected.

Austin rolled his eyes. "I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead. Finished! I'm gonna end up doing bar mitzvahs!"

"No you're not," Dez said. "Nobody would hire you for a bar mitzvah. A bat mitzvah on the other hand…"

"Just one song, that's all we need buddy, one song," Dez said.

"But it's so…hard. I need a lyricist, and it's never worked with anyone except Demonica, and that was awful."

"I know it's not easy to get somebody good this fast, but there is this guy. Very hip, edgey. Just worked with T-Fame. Give him a shot?"

Austin sighed. "What choice do I have?"


	2. I just might switch

"If you don't like the lyrics, be straight with me," the lyricist said as he sat in the chair.

"No, no, no, the lyrics are very…interesting," Austin said.

"Maybe you want something more commercial? More poppish?"

Austin sighed as the doorbell rang. "Hold that awful insult for one second."

He opened the door to find Ally in another dress that belonged to the 50's. She smiled and he found himself returning the favor.

"So they were able to save the whole hand?" he asked, looking at her finger, which was now wrapped in a band-aid.

"I know, I made too big a deal. I just hate infections…then again who likes them?"

He shrugged. "The people who make penicillin?"

"There's two sides to every story," she said, smiling widely. "Except the Nazis. Can't really see the other side of that argument."

"Excuse me?" the lyricist budded in. Austin cleared his throat.

"Sorry. I'm Ally Dawson. I water plants," she said, shyly holding up the watering can.

"Ally, this is Mikel. He's one of Demonica Dixon's lyricists."

"Well, I don't wanna get in your way. I can see I already have," she said, chuckling nervously. "I'm off to the kitchen then."

Mikel looked at Ally, watching her hips and she walked into the kitchen, then turning his eyes back to Austin. "She's kind of hot."

"Glad you enjoyed her," Austin said. His eyes re-fixated on the awful lyrics in front of him. "So. _Give it up, I'm a bad hot witch. I look real good, but I'm a nasty bitch. I can scream and claw, curdle your blood, you'll die on your way back into love."_

His face looked like he was about to be sick as he sang the lyrics. They really were awful.

Ally, who had since come back from the kitchen, started humming the melody.

"No. Give it up, I'm a bad hot witch is okay, but you need something else," Mikel said.

"_But with some magic, I just might switch,"_ Ally sang lightly, not fully realizing what she had done.

"What did you say?" Austin said.

"Uhm, I don't remember," she faked, face turning flush red.

"I believe it was 'with some magic, I just might switch'," Mikel said.

"That is really good," Austin said.

"It's not my lyric!" Mikel said.

"No, it's better," Austin said.

Mikel put his hands on his hips. "Okay. Finish it, plant girl."

She sighed. "I'm just here to cater to the plants."

"You're doing a fine job, if I may say so," Austin said. She was sprinkling over the tallest one in the room, which was quite funny considering her height. "Although that one is plastic."

She abruptly yanked the can back, splashing water on Mikel.

"This is a waste of time," Mikel said, turning to leave.

"Wait!" Ally called, ignoring the churning in her stomach.

"_Let's fly my broom to the stars above, and we'll charm our way back into love," _she said. Mikel rolled his eyes and stormed out the room. Austin stood up from the piano.

"I am _so_ sorry Mr. Moon, I shouldn't have gotten involved. I have no filtering system," she said.

"That's fine, that's fine, he had to get back to his job of being an ass-kisser anyway. Listen, have you ever done any writing?"

She chuckled nervously. "Uhm, I guess."

"Did you ever hear of the song Double Take?" he pondered.

"Of course, everyone has. My best friend Trish loves it. That ridiculous beat and that 'swag' guy who did it with the huge ego and floppy hair," she paused, looking around the walls of his room, decked in Austin Moon posters. "Oh my gosh, that's you."

"Floppy hair was very much a trend then," Austin said, ruffling his hair. "And it still is."

"I'm so sorry," she murmured.

"No, no, that's fine. I would _love_ to talk to you about writing my songs."

"Ah, I don't think so," she mumbled. "I have to go now anyway, babysit for Trish. I mean, her kid. She's, ah, 26 now."

"Okay, listen, do you know who Kira Starr is?" he said, desperate to get her to stay.

"Oh yeah, Trish loves her. To think of it, Trish loves a lot of people."

"I'm writing this song for her, so if you change your mind, just call. Or if you want to see an awesome show, I'm performing in the mall tonight, so you should come and see."

"Well, thanks for the offer, but I really have to babysit now."

He sighed as she stumbled out the door.

/

"How was the movie?" Ally asked as Trish returned from her date with her husband.

"I enjoyed it," she said.

"She fell asleep," Roger said.

"I enjoy sleeping," Trish said. She sat her stuff down on the table as Roger went to go see their two year old.

"Wanna do some stress eating? I got some cheesecake from Mini's," she said.

"This thing happened today, I, I don't know, I'm just gonna go home," Ally said.

She cleaned up the mess Trish's daughter had made and dragged it into the kitchen as Trish broke out the cheesecake.

"You're awful jumpy," Trish said.

"I feel guilty about something," Ally said.

"How unusual for you," Trish said.

"I met that guy you like so much that sang Double Take, you know, Austin Moon?"

"Ohmygod."

"Anyway, I do Christina's plant service while she's gone, and she does his apartment, so I was there. Actually, it was the second time. And he invited me to come see his performance tonight, an-"

"Roger, I'm going out!" Trish yelled.

"That wasn't the end of the story," Ally mumbled as Trish dragged her arm to the bedroom.

/

_You wanna know know know my name name name_

_You want the girl girl girl with game game game_

_And when you look look look my way way way_

_I'm gonna make, make, make 'em do a double take_

Ally watched from the back as Trish pushed her way through a small crowd of screaming fan girls to see Austin. She couldn't help notice how happy he looked, how exhilarating it must be for him to perform.

He finished the song, and when Dez finally got him through the crowd, Trish ran up to Ally as soon as she saw Austin walking over towards her.

"Well, hello there plant girl," Austin said, smirking.

"Hey," she said, glancing around at the immense number of people in the room. She shrank back from the intensity of it.

"Dez, you remember Ally?" Austin said, pointing at her.

"Of course. _Planted_ in my memory," he said, snickering at his pun.

"This is my best friend, Trish," Ally said.

"You were great tonight, Austin. Could I get a quick picture?" Trish squealed.

"Only if your single," Austin said smugly. Trish shrugged.

"I've been married five years but hey, nothing's set in stone, right?" she said as she snuggled up to Austin, throwing the camera at Ally.

"Thanks again for your offer," Ally said quietly.

"What offer?" Dez asked.

"While Mikel, the rhyming psychopath - thanks again for him by the way - was in my apartment, Ally spouted some really interesting lyrics."

"I thought she was doing plants," Dez said.

"Hello? Kind of holding a pose here?" Trish pointed out.

"I need a song by Friday," Austin said. "I'm desperate, Ally. Please?"

"Why don't you just write one?" Ally asked.

Dez chuckled. "Because he sucks at it."

"Yeah, I once rhymed me with autopsy…melodies are more my thing," Austin chirped.

"Still holding a pose!"

"Let me take it," Dez said, taking the camera from her hands.

"That might not be bad," Ally said. "_Figuring out you and me, is like doing a love autopsy."_

"That's pretty good," Dez said. "Go on!"

"Someone could have sculpted us in this time!" Trish yelled.

"_They could operate all day long, and never figure out what went wrong?" _Ally stuttered. Austin clapped as the camera flashed.

"Please, Ally?" Dez begged. "Pleasepleasepleaseplease?"

Ally shook her head. "I just can't, okay? Appreciate the offer. Let's go Trish."

Trish was ogling Austin before Ally gripped her arm and dragged her.

"I might rethink not giving her a key," Austin said.


	3. a shadow overhead

"So this is where Ally works?" Austin said, looking around at Sonic Boom.

"Yup," Lester said. "It's actually her shift, so she'll be right out."

"Thanks."

He looked around at the store, its walls decked with instruments. She certainly had musical background, if that was ever an issue. Still, he thought, it was ridiculous for the true talent she had to be wasted in a store with hardly any business.

She came down from a room above the stairs, and smiled when she spotted Austin.

"Mr. Moon! Hi," she greeted, smiling warmly.

He waited a few minutes before responding - just to check if she was going to ramble on anymore. He'd never admit it, but as quirky as it was, it was somewhat...cute?

"Austin. Mr. Moon's my dad," he said. "And my grandfather, and I'm not bald yet."

She giggled slightly. "Okay, Austin. What do you want?"

"Down to business, yes," he murmurs. "Sorry to show up out of the blue - well not really - but I won't take no for an answer."

"Austin, I can't. I just can't, okay?" she said. "I have horrible stage fright."

"Exactly! You're a songwriter with stage fright, and I'm a singer who loves the stage. Perfect match, yes?" he bargained. She still looked uneasy.

"All you have to do is write it. Please, just five minutes?" he pleaded. He poked out his bottom lip and she sighed.

"Fine."

He quickly led her to the grand piano in the middle of the store.

He started playing a melody, coming in with a slightly altered version of the lyrics she had composed the previous day.

_Figuring out you and me is like doing a love autopsy_

_They could operate all day long and never figure just what went wrong_

"That melody was beautiful, Austin. You really are a skilled musician."

"So are you! You've had some background, though. Please, Ally? Be my songwriter?"

/

Ally clicked her pen, sitting atop the piano in Austin's apartment. She let her legs swing to the rhythm she was clicking her pen to.

"A new song for Kira. A way back into love."

"Yes. A duet, actually," he said. "But good."

"Two people, searching for love, salvation."

"Good, that's good, keep going."

"Love lost, love found, love lost again."

"It's starting to sound like airport luggage, but good," Austin said.

They tossed around a few more ideas before it went dead silent. Austin started playing the jeopardy tune on his piano.

"That's real helpful," Ally said, chuckling.

"It doesn't have to be perfect, just spit it out. They're just lyrics," Austin said.

"Just lyrics?" Ally said, placing her hands on her hips.

"Lyrics are important, just not as important as the melody," Austin said.

She folded her arms and rolled her eyes. Boy, was she good at body language. With a body like that, though, it was expected.

"You don't get it."

"Oh, you look angry. Click your pen," Austin said, almost fearfully. She leaned over the piano.

"A melody is like seeing someone for the first time. The physical attraction. Sex," she spat out.

For a shy girl, she was certainly bold.

"I'm following," Austin said.

"Then, as you get to know the person, that's the lyrics. Their story, who they are underneath. It's the combination of the two that makes it magic."

Austin pondered this for a bit, before she hopped off the piano, and began dragging a chair from his living room up to the piano. Well, dragging, pushing, pulling his carpet and all else from hell up with her, same difference.

"What are you doing?" Austin asks frantically. "You're tearing up my apartment! That carpet was over five hundred dollars!"

"I can't write like this. I need to be closer to you, at least see the melody," she shot back.

"Can't you see the melody from back over there?" he retorted.

She plopped down in the chair, still awkwardly close to him. He hopped up from the piano, much like she had with her chair, and pushed her back to where she came from. She, in turn, scooted the chair up back to the same spot with her feet.

He huffed, defeated. "At least just a few inches back?"

She scooted back.

"A little more?"

She scooted back again.

"A little more?"

Again.

"Just a little more?"

"Austin, I'm not moving to Alaska!"

He chuckled. "Okay. Ideas, go, song for Kira, airport luggage."

She placed the end of her pen in her mouth. "Hm...Let's go for a walk."

"Now? It's almost five in the morning!"

"Out on the streets, you see things, hear things, eat things. It's good for creativity. Creative juices start flowing."

/

They walked silently, side by side.

"Okay, this is good. This is good. When you hit a wall, you gotta change the subject. Tell me about yourself," Ally said.

Austin raised his eyebrow and smirked.

"My favorite subject," he said. "Ah, my parents are Mike and Mimi Moon. They run this st-"

"Moon's Mattress Kingdom?" Ally squealed. "_There's no hassle in our castle,"_ she recited almost too excitedly.

"You're more excited about my parents owning a Mattress factory than about me having a number one hit song," Austin said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, what else is there? I like pancakes, I can play almost any instrument, my middle name is Monica…what else can I tell you?"

After eighteen months of laughing about his middle name, she decided on an answer. "Why do you play music?"

"I dunno," he said, kicking the rocks under his shoes. "I like the feel of it. It's like a story. The feel of being on stage, I guess. I'm so desperate to get this, you know? My dad always said I have a one in a million chance of making it. As soon as the Double Take craze was over, he threw a smock at me and told me the business was back on."

She was quiet for a minute.

"Thanks for opening up to me like this, Austin. I know what it's like to live with a shadow overhead."

She stopped dead in her tracks, mouth open.

"What? What is it?" Austin said.

"That's it! That's the verse!"


	4. someone to shed some light

She jumped at the piano, beginning to play a melody. Austin's fingers followed hers.

_I've been living with a shadow overhead_

"That's a nice melody," Ally said as she released her fingers from the keys.

"What do you know? You don't even like melody," Austin huffed.

"That's not what I said," Ally said.

"You prefer the lyrics. I don't trust you. Come on, what's next?"

"I think….we should get some breakfast," Ally said.

"We can't! We're on a roll. Listen. _I've been living with a shadow overhead…_What's next?" Austin asked.

She thought for a minute. _"There'll be no more rhymes until I'm fed…"_

"Ally! Seriously. I've been living with a shadow overhead…"

"_I could be inspired with just a piece of bread…"_

He sighed. "You're really not gonna quit, are you?"

"Girl's gotta eat," she said. "I'm sure you're craving some pancakes."

He smirked. "I have the perfect place."

/

Sitting down at the Melody Diner, Ally clicked her pen a few more times.

"How about…_I've been looking for someone to shed some light?_"

"That's good, good. Shadows and light, you're deep. Two more lines of Kira verse, what's next?"

She trailed off into space, looking behind her. Ally shrieked, grabbing the menu and pulling it over her head.

"Als? Ally? What are you doing?" he said, ducking his head as well. If someone was shooting at them, he'd rather it go through the window than through his skull.

She peeked out of her menu and sighed in relief.

"Nothing, I thought I saw someone, but it wasn't him. We're cool."

"First thing, never use the word cool. Second thing, who?"

"Nobody."

"Ally…I told you about myself. I think it's your turn."

"Why do you care?" she murmured.

It's the first time in the three days he's known her that she's come across bitter or unkind in any way, so he know it's got to be something serious.

"Considering we have a deadline for this song, it's in my best interest that my best _hope _for finishing it is sane. Or at least, as sane as you can be. That, and I don't like it when pretty girls are upset."

She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, pressing her arm against her cheek.

"Have you ever read the book Alicia David?" she asked meekly.

"Of course not. The last book I read was Cheetah Beat's _11__ Reasons Why Austin Moon Is A Hottie_. I've heard of it though, big best seller."

"That's…the book is about me," she said.

"What?"

/

"I wanted to get into MUNY, music school of New York, right? I mean who wouldn't?" she mused.

"Me, but continue," Austin muttered.

"Well…I started taking lessons from one of the professors there, Reese Mitchell, in piano and songwriting.."

She breathed out, as if it was painful to talk. He did a motion with her hand to keep going.

"I…fell in love with him. He told me he loved me. He led me on…I was slightly surprised when his Fiance, who had been on a year-long sabbatical in Spain, showed up."

"What?" Austin said.

"Yeah. Never mentioned he was engaged to a history teacher."

"I'm guessing that was the end of that."

"Yeah. I dropped out and a year later, his new novel showed up. The tale of a student who lures a brilliant writer into an affair so she can take advantage of his connections, but when he tries to break it off, she devotes herself to ruining his life. He even paid me homage in the dedication."

"That's not you, though," Austin said.

"She's an aspiring singer/songwriter from Miami, short, brunette hair to match her eyes, all my habits. You know, talks too much, awkward, asks too many questions, shy."

He put his hand lightly over hers.

"Since then, every time I go to perform…I just think of those words he wrote, you know? 'She was a brilliant mimic. She could quote Dorothy Parker or Emily Dickinson, or play a melody someone else had written. Stripped of someone else's literary clothes, she was a vacant, empty imitation of a writer.'"

"First of all, you can't listen to some jerk," Austin said.

"He's not a jerk. He's a National Book Award Winner."

"Same thing," Austin said. "Don't care what anyone else thinks. In my eyes, I think you're pretty amazing. Plus, how can you insult someone when you have a name like Reese Mitchell?"

"It's not just that though," she whispered. "Who are your idols?"

"Superman," Austin said. "Superman always wins."

"Musically. Musical idols."

"John Lennon, Paul McCartney, ah, Rob Thomas."

"Okay," she said. "What if John came up to you and told you your music sucked?"

"He couldn't," Austin said. "He's dead." As if to coincide with his words, he placed two fingers to his head and let a puff of air out his mouth, "Boosh!"

Ally rolled her eyes. "Rob Thomas?"

"Too nice."

"What was the other one? Paul?"

"Paul McCartney. Paul would, definitely. He's an egotistical jackass, but he's a damned good singer."

"Austin!' she snapped. "You're missing the point."

"I would shrug it off, get back up, and be determined to prove them wrong. So - we write this song for Kira, and show Mr. Mitchell who's boss, shall we?"

"We shall," Ally said, reaching up to fist bump Austin.

"No, no, no, no, no. Don't do that."

/

"How's this?" she said, bending over the piano towards Austin.

"_I've been looking for someone to shed some light, not somebody just to get me through the night,"_ she sang.

He hadn't really noticed it before - blame it on her incessant chatter - but she was quite pretty. Her ombre styled hair traced down to her chest, where a snug fitting tank top layered with a vest hugged her in all the right places. Despite her being rather petite - she had long legs, legs that her flowery skirt was doing justice. And the two areas were connected by a wave of curves that he'd never seen like on a woman her height.

"Austin? Hello, earth to Mr. Moon?" Ally chirped. He realized he'd zoned out.

"Sorry, I just…you're a really good singer," he covered. "Where'd you learn that from?"

"I taught myself," she said confidently.

"That's some pretty good teaching," Austin said.

She smiled warmly and brushed her hair over her face, attempting to conceal her blush.

"What about you Mr. Swag?" she said, punching his shoulder.

"Ow!" he squealed girlishly. She chuckled.

"My grandma taught me," he continued. "She was in broadway."

"I love broadway," Ally said. "It's so…busy and bustling."

"Yeah, so do I. But don't tell my friends that, or I'll have to go into hiding."

"What? Come on, it's not that embarrassing. It'd be worse if I told them how girlishly you squeal when I lightly tap you."

"That was a punch!" Austin defended. "They already tease me enough about liking romance movies."

"Hey, I love romance movies."

"You're a girl, you're supposed to," he chided.

She huffed and plopped down in her seat. She wasn't really mad, of course, and he knew that.

Plus, it was kind of cute when she pouted.


	5. this is not a negotiation

_I've been living with a shadow overhead_

_I've been living with a clown above my bed_

"That's cloud, Austin," Ally said, sitting next to him on the piano bench.

"Write more clearly!" Austin whined.

"It's not my fault, you're rushing me! I went to Calligraphy Camp!" she retorted, as if that was supposed to be amazing.

"Why would you have a clown in your bed?" Ally asked, wrinkling her eyebrows. She sipped on her coffee.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Austin muttered.

"I'm not surprised," she coughed. "The way you refused to let me go."

"Oh, shut up," he said. "How are we on chorus?"

"So, what do you think of this?" Ally said, spreading her hands out across the piano. She slightly pressed into Austin's chest, and if it weren't for his masculinity and ego, he might just have felt the slightest bit giddy.

"_All I want to do is find a way back into love," _she sang, her voice echoing in the small apartment. "_I can't make it through without a way back into love…"_

He joined in, reading off her barely legible lyrics. _Calligraphy Camp, my ass._

Although, he like how their voices sounded together, in unison. As if they really were a perfect match.

/

"I still don't like this line, about places in my mind?" Ally perked up.

"So? It's fine," Austin said, hurrying around.

"Fine isn't good."

"We don't have time for fine! This song is due TONIGHT."

"And I don't think these chords are right. It has to sound sadder than the verse," she commented.

He sighed. "Different how?"

"I don't know, sadder, maybe?"

"Tell you what. We'll change _places in my mind_, if I can keep the chord sequence into the bridge."

"This isn't a negotiation!" she sputtered. "It's either right or wrong, inspired or insipid."

He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. Chugging his coffee, he slunk back against his chair. "Insipid, god, you're a walking dictionary. I don't even know what that means, but I don't care. Right now, it's four in the morning. We're not writing the last movement of Jupiter Symphony, we're writing a song for a girl who's last hit was Welcome To Bootytown. Please, get back to work."

"I still don't like it," she huffed. "And it's Entering Bootytown."

/

"I was thinking corners was such a better word than spaces, for the in my mind. It has a better boundary, you know?"

Austin had recorded the melody, which was currently playing back on his computer. He was running around the room, like a lost puppy without it's owner and leash, hair flopping from one side to the other as he occasionally ran his fingers through it.

He pressed buttons on each machine that did god knows what, setting each one to make each note on queue.

"Great, great, that's the new lyric," he said amidst humming to the melody.

"It sounds so good, I can't believe it," Ally whispered. Austin clamped a pair of headphones on her head.

"And now…vocals," he said. She stepped away slightly from the microphone. Austin pushed her right back up to it.

"No, you see, you have to sing into it, it won't follow you."

"I can't," she mustered.

"It's a duet for a man and a woman. We are as close as we've got," Austin said, "Way back into love, take one."

"Oh god, I can't do this," she whined.

"Just use your normal, nice voice…that I've heard so much of in the last three days," he said.

"It's like my throat's closing up, like I'm anaphylactic," she whispered.

"Anaphylactic, insipid," he mocked. "It's just a three minute song, Ally."

The beat started, and she barely whispered the lyrics.

Austin stopped, restarted the track, and took his place. "A bit louder, this song was intended for humans."

She placed a hand to her neck, and he sighed and took his head phones off.

"Look. You have no crowd, and this is only one time. I'm the only one here, and I'm the only one that can hear you. Trust me."

She nodded and he put his headphones back on, giving her a thumbs up. She gave a weak one back.

He started the beat again, and she held onto the microphone like it was her life.

_I've been living with a shadow overhead_

_I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed_

_I've been lonely for so long…_

_Trapped in the past I just can't seem to move on_

He smiled and gave her hand a slightly squeeze before starting his vocals.

_I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away_

_Just in case I ever need 'em again someday_

_I've been setting aside time_

_To clear a little space in the corners of my mind…_

_/_

"Hey hey, taxi! She's gonna have a baby!" Austin yelled into the streets as a taxi sped off.

"What if that were true?!" Ally yelled back.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the next oncoming taxi quickly. They had to get this tape to Kira.

The taxi was relatively small, leaving them to be almost smushed together. Austin didn't mind it all that much.

"Do ya think Kira will like it?" Ally said. "My vocals weren't all that good."

"Your singing was perfect, and she's supposed to be paying attention to the lyrics anyway."

"Do you even like Kira's music?" Ally asked quietly.

"Well, uhm…it's…" he trailed, trying to find a euphemism for horrible, "not my cup of tea."

"Oh, British now, are we?" Ally says. "Just say bloody hell and we're all chavs."

"You're pretty hot for a chav," he chuckles as her face turns 20 separate shades of red. She mutters something under her breath, but the taxi turned to the curb, where Kira, Jimmy, and Facepuncher were all standing in anticipation. Austin slid out, keeping the door open for Ally.

"Oh my god, it's Kira Starr," Ally whispered.

"Stay calm. Kira, hi, you remember me, Austin?" he said, turning his attention to the megastar.

"Austin, hi," she says, smiling the fakest smile Ally's ever seen. "Who's this?"

"Ally Dawson, my lyricist," he says.

"_Aspiring lyricist, _actually," Ally pipes in. "Hi Kira, big fan."

"So Facepuncher tells me you have a song?" Kira says.

Austin pulls the CD out of his pocket, checking it in the case. "We do. It's just a rough copy, a little ditty, oh -"

She takes it from his hands before he can finish, and puts it in a CD player from the early 2000's, something he thought was extinct. Kira places her headphones in her ears, shuts her eyes, and bobs up and down to the melody of the song.

Ally glances towards Austin anxiously. He shrugs and focuses his attention on Kira. After a few more minutes of bobbing, she takes the headphones out and smiles warmly at the two.

"This is the exact song I've been looking for. Thank you so much, I look forward to working with you guys."

Austin nods, biting his lip as the trio turn back into their black limousine. Kira waves from the window, and they both wave back, Ally waving her hand around like a maniac, though Austin doesn't blame her.

As soon as the car has passed the corner, Ally jumps up and down in excitement, and Austin bursts into laughter.

"We got the job!" she shrieks. "Kira's going to be singing MY song!"

"OUR song," he corrects. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he yells, picking Ally up and spinning her around. She giggles as he's twirling her, peppering both sides of her face with kisses.

It's not until he sets her down does she realize that she actually liked the feel of it.


	6. to ally dawson

"Dez? Dez? We got the job!" Austin yelled into his phone. "I know, okay? Okay. Yeah. Seven-ish."

He clicked his phone off, shoving it back into his blazer pocket, and took Ally's hand in his. "We're going to dinner."

"Where?" she murmured. "Whoa, Austin, slow down, heels!"

He softened his pace. "Sorry. We're going to Amelia's in celebration of your amazing songwriting skills."

"Amelia's? Isn't that place uber expensive?" her eyes bulged.

"Maybe, but Dez and his new girlfriend Martha are accompanying us. Despite being….Dez, he's pretty loaded."

"Well, okay then. To Amelia's!"

/

The second they stepped into the restaurant Ally immediately felt out of place. Almost everyone (including Martha) was dressed in the most expensive attire possible.

"To Ally Dawson," Austin cheered, holding up a wine glass, "the woman who paved my way back to success!"

Dez applauded a little bit too enthusiastically, causing Martha to elbow him in the ribs.

"I love your dress, Martha," Ally said. It was coral red, elegant, with just a sheer amount of sexy.

"Oh, thank you," Martha replied. "It's nice to dress up after a day of work."

"Where do you work?" Austin asked, mouth stuffed full of crab cakes.

"I'm a therapist at Miami-Presbyterian," Martha answered. "I'm working on a study examining the relationship between parents and their children."

"A therapist, Dez, wow," Austin jeered. "You've really outdone yourself."

"Isn't she great?" he whispered dreamily in response.

"Yeah, I don't think Mindy will like her too much," Austin said. "I mean, no offense to Martha, she's great, but Mindy's insane."

"Amen," Dez chirped, clinking his glass with Austin's.

"Oh my god," Ally muttered under her breath, face turning white.

"What?" Austin repeated.

"…Reese."

"I'm sorry, what is it?" he said, leaning over to her.

"Reese!" she said.

He glanced up at the head of the restaurant towards the bar, only to find the guy she told him about at the restaurant a few days prior.

"Here it comes," she whispered, ducking down on the floor, crawling through tables to the restaurant.

Martha cocked her head over to get a look at her. "Is she all right?"

"Yeah, she always does this, it's her way of working up an appetite," Austin replied. "Hang on."

He stepped through the same crowd of people, catching her at the tail end of the women's restroom. He almost went back, before hearing her start to cry. He knocked gingerly on the door.

"Ally?"

More sobbing came from the other side of the door. He creaked it open slowly, way beyond his comfort zone.

"He's at the bar," Ally whispered.

"I know, I saw him," Austin said. "He's not that great you know, I saw the beginnings of a bald patch."

"I think I'll just stay in here until he leaves," Ally uttered. "Maybe you could send in a salad and an ice tea?"

"Right, I'll get the water, would you like the dessert cart as well? Ally, you can't hide from him forever."

She sighed and sunk to her knees on the cool bathroom floor. He followed her actions, silently praying no woman would come in here and slap him in the face with her face. It wouldn't be the first time.

Ally buried her face in her knees, running her hands through her hair continuously.

"I had a speech prepared for over a year," she said. "Just in case this happened."

"Can I hear it?" he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder to pull her into him in case she started crying again.

"Reese, even though Sally Michaels lives on paper, I live in the world. And I can never forgive you for using me to create a fictional monster," she said, her voice cracking. "Sally Michaels is my own personal ghost, a shadow hanging overhead. And one day, all your success won't be able to shield you from the pain you've caused and the shame you deserve. Or something like that."

Austin broke into a grin, and taking his arm away, clapped. "Come on, that's great. You've got to say that, now. You're on top of the world. You wrote a song for the biggest act in the universe."

"But I can't," she croaked.

"Yeah, you can. People wait to see an ex-lover when things are going well and it never happens," he said. "You can make relationship history here."

"I look like crap," she said. "I can't."

He pondered this for a minute. "Stay here."

He dodged the waiter coming through and scrambled back to their table.

"Gloria, could you accompany me to the ladies room?"

/

"You look…amazing," Austin breathed.

"Eleven years of therapy and I finally help someone. Good luck, honey," Martha said, now in Ally's clothes. Her dress had been switched as well.

"Thank you so much," she said as Martha walked back to the table. She tried to pull it up. "It doesn't really fit."

"No, on the contrary, it fits you perfectly. I'm not saying you should go to confession like that," he said, eyeing the immense cleavage the dress produced for her, "but for what you're about to do, it's perfect."

"I think I'm developing a sudden coronary blockage. Shortness of breath, blurred vision," she said, placing a hand to her head.

"Those pass very quickly. Come on."

He led her up to the bar, hand on her back just in case she tried to wriggle away, and tapped Reese on the shoulder.

"Yes? Sophie, my god," he said, looking her up and down.

Something about him made Austin's stomach twist in knots.

"How are you?" Reese asked.

"I'm fine, yeah."

"She's more than fine," Austin cut in. "She's writing a song for Kira Starr."

Reese hunched an eyebrow and Austin extended his hand.

"Austin Moon. Hi, how are you?"

"Reese Mitchell," he said, devoting his attention back to Sophie. "It's been an eternity. You look incredible, but then you were always mysteriously seductive."

Austin grimaced and bit back the urge to punch this guy square in the face.

"I've sold out, you know," Reese said. "They're making a film out of Sally Michaels."

"Oh, really?" Ally said, feeling her knees go weak.

"It's been crazy. I've got to get going, let's get together some other time, okay?" he said, grabbing a drink from the bar. "Take care, Ally, Allen."

"Austin," Austin corrected as Ally uneasily leaned into him.

"I just wanna go home," she said.

"Okay. Just hang on one second."

Reese had already gone back to a table. Scanning the room, Austin spotted him and placed his hand on Reese's shoulder.

"Sorry to bother you," Austin cut in, "but can you just listen to what she came to say?"

Reese rolled his eyes. "I know what she came to say. Sad little story about how I ruined her life, while the truth is, she seduced me so that I'd get her published."

Austin scowled. He may have only known her for about a week, but it was enough to know that Ally couldn't think of doing anything like that. He clenched his fists.

"You were engaged and you didn't even tell her!"

"Do me a favor, why don't you just shove off?" Reese said, pushing Austin back.

"Why don't you?" Austin growled, pushing him into the table.

"Don't hurt his hair!" Dez called. "He's playing the state fair this weekend!"

Before Ally knew it, Austin threw Reese into the table behind them, and all hell broke loose.


	7. for this occasion

**A/N: Just thought I'd place this in here - the highlight of this chapter is slightly suggestive, but there's no actual sex involved. Or at least, written out. I don't write smut, just heavy make out scenes. (:**

/

"Easy, easy," Ally coaxed, gently guiding Austin into his apartment.

He groaned in pain and her hands instantly shot back.

"Did I hurt you?" she asked quietly.

"No, no, I'm just relatively sore from being attacked by lobster," he whined. "Although, before the guard pulled us apart, I was winning."

"Can't argue with that," Ally sighed. She placed her hand on his back, moving him forward into the recliner.

"Thanks," he said, adjusting to the chair.

She smiled warmly. "I'll be right back, okay? You need to get some ice on that."

"Only if it's accompanied by whiskey," he groaned.

And in a flash, she was gone, hips twisting, still in that tight fitting red dress, off to the kitchen to do god knows what. He heard her plundering in cabinets, knowing he'd have some cleaning up to do later.

Had he really done that? Nearly beat up a guy for a girl he'd only known about a week? A girl that talked so much and killed one of his plants? Or maybe a girl that just saved his career and maybe, just maybe his love life.

"Ow!" he yelled, having his thoughts cut off by a pack of frozen vegetables placed to his cheek.

"Sorry," she cursed. "This'll make it feel better in the long run."

"The worst thing is my upper gum," he moaned. "I think I may have impaled myself on a dinner roll. Good thing they didn't have breadsticks, or I'd have lost an eye."

"Oh god, I can't believe you convinced me to do that," she said. "Now I'm more of a joke to him than ever. And you know what the worst part of it is?"

"You stole some poor woman's dress?" he joked, looking down at the way it smoothed over her hips. He mentally slapped himself for looking at her that way.

"I'll have my own personal nightmare playing on 3000 screens. He still has some sort of power over me, I still care what he thinks," she said.

"How?" Austin piped up. "I'm sorry, but how? He is a JERK."

She started to cut in, to contradict, but he cut her off.

"No. He is a jerk. He is a jerk. It's not a question. He is a jerk," Austin chided. Know what? I have amazing insight - I'd use it on myself only I don't have any problems. I'll tell you, you are way too talented…and unusual, to let anyone keep you from standing."

She leaned in closer to press the ice easier on his cheek. "That's pretty sensitive, Austin. Especially from a man who wears such tight pants."

"Forces the blood to my heart," he said. "You were amazing tonight."

"As were you," she said. She pressed the ice in a bit more firmly. "Does this feel any better?"

"It would," he said, leaning in closer. "If it was on the right side."

She threw the ice pack gingerly aside, pressing her lips to his other cheek.

"And that," he said, tucking her hair behind her ear, "felt much better."

He tilted his head to the side, closing the limited space in between them. She almost moaned in response, wrapping her arms around his neck and further deepening the kiss.

If he had any doubts about this woman, it surely had nothing to do with her kissing skills. Better than the models he'd kissed when his tour was still on, the cheerleaders in high school. This wasn't tour and this wasn't high school, though. This was now. He was in his living room, locking lips with a girl he'd just met a week prior, but everything felt so right.

He bit at the bottom of her lip, pulling it down slightly and nibbling. She smiled as his lips met hers again, then pulled away briefly.

"That," she said, breathlessly almost, "feel even better?"

"Oh yeah," he said, standing up, taking her hands and kissing her again. He grabbed from under her, and she jumped up, wrapping her legs in a bind around his hips, arms still around his neck.

He hoisted her on top of the piano, hands playing at her hips and lips alternating from her own to down her neck, biting softly at the bare skin exposed from the dress. Oh, that dress.

"The dress," Austin murmured, "is gorgeous. I just love it."

"Yeah?" she whispered, playing with the bottom of his shirt. "How much?"

He answered her by placing a kiss lightly on her collarbone, heavily accented by how low-cut it was on her. He could just barely seen the thinness of her bra extending from it.

"While we're speaking of this dress," he says, looking down at the immense cleavage it's produced, "I did say it was perfect for that occasion?"

She nodded, as he kissed the same area lightly again.

"For this occasion," he said, in between kisses, "I think it would look better on the floor."


	8. it's a date

Austin shot his eyes open, the distant sound of the phone ringing echoing throughout the house. He, without thinking, stuck his head up - and hit it, right on the roof of the piano.

Oh, right. He and Ally had laid under the piano after…

He shot to his feet, rushing to the phone, grabbing it and heading out the side entrance.

"Hello? Hello?" Dez said through the phone.

"Hey," he said. "I've got a strange situation here."

"You do?" Dez snickered. "I'm at my daughter's soccer game with my ex-wife who's here with my ex-gardener."

"I slept with Ally," Austin cut in.

"YOU SLEPT WITH ALLY?!" Dez yelled, and Austin could hear some of the soccer moms muttering things in the background.

"Remember your blood pressure, you're a tall man, you need all you can get," Austin whispered.

"Are you out of your mind? Austin, this is terrible. Unless you're happy about it, and then I couldn't be more happy for you. Should we do pros and cons?"

"Not necessary," Austin murmured. A loud banging noise came from the living room, followed by a shriek. "I think she's up, gotta go."

"Hey! We have a show today, two o'clock, I'll pick you up in a little while."

Austin hung up, coming back in the entrance to find Ally, who had the bed sheet they were laying under wrapped around her.

"Morning," she says.

"Hi, that was Dez. Would obviously invite you to stay, it's just that I have a show today," Austin murmurs.

"Oh, really?" she asks, tightening the sheet further around her.

"Headlining at Adventureland. You have my permission to be impressed."

"Oh, wow," she said, in mock enthusiasm. "Don't go all Madonna on me."

He chuckled awkwardly. "Ah…you could…you could come, you know."

She smiled warmly and gestured down to the bed sheet that she was encased in. "Not like this."

_/_

_They wanna know know know, your name name name_

_They want the girl, girl, girl with the game, game, game_

_And when they look, look, look your way, way way_

_I'm gonna make_

_Make_

_Make 'em do a double take_

"Thank you adventure land!" Austin called. They roared back in excitement and he dashed off to the small backstage where Dez and Ally were.

"That was great," Ally smiled.

"Yeah?" he said, leaning in closer towards her.

"Yeah!" Dez cheered, breaking the two apart. "Good show. Encore time?"

"Do I have to?"

"It's in the contract," Dez said. "Come on."

"This is embarrassing," Austin said. "They don't want it."

"These songs, they're fantastic. Never heard any of them before, but they're full of wonderful melodic surprises, and inspiring vocals," Ally said, before realizing Austin and Dez had zoned out. "And they're catchy and they're making people happy, so just go!"

He smirked. "You're not just saying that because you've been on the wave ride maybe twelve times?"

She clutched at her stomach "They're good, really good. And hey, Mister, so have you."

"Okay then," he said, winking at her and running back up to the stage.

Dez grinned and put an arm around Ally. "How'd you like to sign with me?"

Ally chuckled uneasily. "Ah, I'm not much of a singer, thank you."

"I mean as a songwriter. Austin's songwriter."

"Oh," she said. "Only if you take your arm off me."

He chuckled and removed it. "That's okay. You've got it for Austin, and I know it."

"I do not have _it_," she said, putting emphasis on the last word, "for Austin Moon."

"Please, Ally," he said. "They call me the Love Whisperer."

"No one calls you that," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah they do. You just can't hear them," he said, bringing his voice down so it was almost inaudible, "because they're whispering."

/

"That was a great show," Dez said. "You should be pleased."

"How much we make?" Austin asked.

"I don't talk business in front of a non-client," Dez said, gesturing to Ally. "You know that."

"What?" Ally chirped. "You just asked me to sign with you!"

"Well in that case," he murmured, "I don't think it's right to talk about one client's affairs in front of another. I'm discreet that way."

"You don't know, do you?" Ally said.

"I've got a ballpark figure," Dez moaned. "Enough for a nice dinner."

"Oh my god," Ally said. "Dinner! I'm supposed to go to Trish's for dinner!"

She pressed herself into the front of the car Dez was currently driving. "Drop me off!"

"No, no, come on," Austin said. "I couldn't do that. Here, I'll take you."

He smiled and she almost blushed. "Thank you. Uhm, I don't think she'd yell at me if you came along, too."

"It's a date," he said, clicking through his teeth.


	9. passion?

"So, Austin, Ally tells me you're doing a song with Kira Starr?" Trish said, eyes bulging out of their sockets.

"Yeah," he said. "It's awesome."

"Listen, I don't wanna be presumptuous," Trish said, and Austin hunched an eyebrow. Do all girls use words longer than their names?

"I'm about to open a new Weight-Not in Boca, and I was wondering if maybe you'd like to perform," she said, smirking.

"I performed at a fat farm once. They loved me," Austin said. "Threw treats from the stage, went crazy. Count on me."

Trish smiled like she had just been given a million dollars. Roger's cell phone went off and the smile faded, as she whipped her head around to shoot him a death glare.

"No cell phones at the table," Trish said. "Austin Moon is here."

"It could be Jessie about the meeting," Roger murmured.

"Sorry, Austin, he's being rude."

Austin smirked. "Would you like to go to the Kira show, Trish? You can bring the kids along, too."

"That would be so cool. Ally?"

"Yeah, cool," she said, playing around with her mashed potatoes.

Double Take chimed and Austin winced, picking his phone up from his pants pocket. "Sorry, sorry, apologies, I know the rules."

"Oh no, honey, you go right ahead. You're a guest," Trish said, ignoring Roger's muffled protests and groans.

"You sure? You want me to call Jessie back while I'm out?" he said, and flashed out to the kitchen.

Ally played around with the potatoes a bit more, scraping her fork over the paper plate. Should she be worried that he hadn't talked about last night? Then again, she didn't exactly give him much of a chance…

"Als, Kira's back tomorrow and wants to meet us at her studio to work on the song," Austin said. "And she wants to know if we like wheatgrass."

"Sounds ominous," Ally commented, perking her eyes up.

"Again with the big words," he huffed. "Are you worried?"

"I don't…you know, yeah," she said. "Are you?"

"Not if you're not. You've got your worried eyes on, like a little scared puppy," Austin cooed, trying to imitate her look. She chuckled and could feel Trish glaring her down.

"Ally, wanna bring those dishes in here hon?"

She cut her laughter off awkwardly. "Yeah, just a second!"

/

"I like Austin, I mean, he's Austin Moon, so hot," Trish said, emphasizing the last word. "And he ate my mashed potatoes."

"What a magical evening," Ally said, rolling her eyes and throwing the forks in the dishwasher.

"But hon, you don't fall a lot, and I've seen the way you look at him. I've seen the way you look at him, so please makes sure he's passionate about you."

Ally laughed nervously. "Whaaat? Falling for him? Pffft."

Trish hunched her eyebrow and folded her eyes.

"Yeah, maybe just a little," Ally said. "And…the one time we slept together it was totally professional."

"You did not," Trish said quietly.

"I did," Ally said with a small smile playing at her lips.

"You slept with Austin Moon, oh my god," Trish said. "I need some aspirin."

"How do you know if someone's passionate anyway?" Ally asked.

"I dunno," Trish said, "You can just feel it. For me, it was when Roger said to his mother, _I'm marrying her anyway_. Gosh, I hate that woman."

Ally chuckled, side stepping to the door, looking out at Austin, who was playing DDR with Trish's two kids. Almost as if he was a kid himself.

She didn't know about him, but passionate was one word to describe her.

/

"Well, that was fun," Ally said, spinning on her heels throughout the street.

"It was, it was, except for those potatoes. What I imagine eating insulin tastes like," Austin scoffed. "So, Cora tomorrow? 10:00, 19th Street? She said something about a negotiation."

Ally nodded. "I'll meet you there."

"Although…I was gonna take a cab, and seeing as I live further uptown than you, I could, theoretically of course, pick you up," he said nervously.

"You could if I was on the street at, say like, 9:40," she fumbled.

"I would probably see you, depending on how brightly you were dressed," he mumbled.

"I'd wear orange so you couldn't miss me."

"You could get some road work done while you wait," he mocked, and stopped walking. "Uhm, my apartment is back this way."

Ally stopped and spun on her heels. "Oh. Well, uh. Goodnight?"

"Night," Austin said, walking the other way. He spun around again. "Goodbye."

She turned. "Bye!"

"Bye."

"Bye."

"Just come back with me already," he huffed. She giggled and ran towards him. He stopped her with his arms before she could run past him, placing a small kiss on her lips. Nothing heavy, just…light.

She might not be the only one who's passionate.


	10. negotiation

"I want you to hear the new intro to Way Back Into Love," Kira said. "Instead of piano, we get this heavy Indian thing going," she said, turning a track on and heading to the middle of the studio, starting to dance, shaking off her coat into a one piece outfit that revealed more than Austin wanted to see.

Kira ran her hands through her hair, alternating between dropping on the floor and thrusting herself forward, and Austin starts to rethink inviting Trish's kids to the show.

"I think I'll get some wheatgrass after all," Ally said, disappearing into the back.

"You don't like it?" Kira pouted.

"It's not that, she's had her eye on that wheatgrass since we came in," Austin mumbled. "What you're doing there is great. Steamy and sticky. One is normally enough, but the combo is AMAZING."

"Kira, time for the press shoot," Face Puncher said.

Kira nodded and turned to Ally. "Oh, and add another verse, it doesn't feel like the song ends yet."

"Another verse?" Ally repeated, and Austin put a hand over her mouth.

"That would be an honor," he huffed.

"I'm having a pre-recording session party at my place," Kira said. "I want you both to come."

"Great. Well, see you Kira. Facepuncher," Austin said, shuffling Ally out the door as fast as he could. He waited until they turned the corner to move his hand.

"Okay, you can vent now."

"You didn't actually like that orgasm set to the Gandhi soundtrack, did you?!" Ally screeched. "That is NOT my song!"

"I thought it was horrible, but come on Als, if she wants to dance, let her dance."

"Your heroes, The Beatles, Phil, all of them. They would _never_ let this happen," Ally said.

"That's different," Austin coughed. "They wrote dinner, I write dessert. They're geniuses, I am a one-hit wonder."

"No, you're dinner. That's why I'm gonna tell her what I think at the party."

"No," Austin said, as she piled into a cab. "You're not."

"Yes, I am," she said.

"No, you're grounded. I forbid you to go," he said. "Why can't you just negotiate with her? That's all we want!"

She chuckled and slammed the door in his face.

/

"Come on, it's just four lines," Austin said.

"I can't work this way. I need to say what I think."

"You can't work this way?" Austin said, "You've been a songwriter for 2 weeks!"

"God created the universe in less than that," Ally said.

"You're not even religious!" Austin groaned. "Please. I'm desperate, please."

Ally walked up to the bouncer. "Austin and Ally. We're on the list."

The bouncer removed the rope, letting the two in. Ally sprinted ahead, desperate to find Kira. Austin chased after her but she soon became garbled in the crowd. Damn her and her smallness, he said to himself.

He spotted her and dashed ahead, knocking no other than Kira over in the process. "Oh my god, Kira, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," she said, pushing herself up. "How are my favorite writers?"

"Writers?" Austin mumbled, before turning around to see Ally. He let out a girlish squeal.

"Kira, I really wanted to talk to you -" Ally started, before Austin grabbed one of the finger foods on the tray and shoved it into her mouth.

"About the fact we have to leave early to finish the song," Austin chuckled.

Ally swallowed and groaned. "I definitely see how much you've thought about the song, and-"

"Great party," Austin said.

"Ally was about to say something," Kira said.

"Was she?" Austin rambled. "I don't think she was, no."

"What I wanted to say," Ally said, speaking quickly to get her point across, "Was that I appreciate you're incorporating yourself into the music, but I really and honestly feel we're pandering. The song is about a struggle to show your true feelings, and your very…confident sexual display is a total contradiction of the fear and insecurity."

"I don't think so," Kira said, tilting her head. "My fans love it when I dance."

"You're wonderful at it," Austin said.

"My last CD only went to number two, and Shakira is breathing down my neck, so I want to dance!" Kira shrieked. "But thank you for your honesty, Ally."

/

Austin turned the key into the lock of his apartment, opening it and trying to avoid looking at the death glare Ally's giving him.

"Look, it's over. You tried, nicely, but you've hit a wall," he said.

"With no help from you!" she snapped. "You just stood there! Talk about pandering!"

"I did not pander, I just told her what she wanted to hear!"

"That is pandering!" Ally yelled. "I'm just going to go tell her the truth."

"You just did!" Austin huffed. "Are you gonna use flash cards this time? You're so stubborn!"

"And you're not stubborn enough to stand up for what's good. I don't want to see you go back to a one hit wonder, just because you make a pop flop. You were trying so hard to get a hit that it wasn't you, the songs were soulless."

"I agree," Austin sighed, "but ours has soul."

"Not if that…sexual woman ruins it!" Ally says. "And you know that! Why are you so scared to care?"

"Because it doesn't matter!" Austin yelled. "Behind all her Buddhism-in-a-thong philosophy, what she REALLY cares about is seats filled and units sold! Nothing is going to change her mind! Look, let's just sweat it off. Can I get you a drink? We can still do this."

Austin handed Ally her pad. "It's just four lines."

She scribbled something down, shoving it in his face.

"Sorry I can't do this?" Austin said, scrunching his facial features up as he read it. "What does that mean - what, why are you leaving?"

She sighed and grabbed her purse. "Maybe I'll think of something later."

"There is no later!" Austin said. "She needs it tomorrow! If we don't give it to her, she'll go to someone else! I'll lose the job!"

"Sorry," Ally said. "I'm not inspired."

"I don't care if you are! Inspiration is for amateurs! I just want four lines!"

"I can't."

"Oh, you can, and you won't."

"Are you saying I wanted this to happen?"

Austin chuckled bitterly. "That's what you do! You move my furniture, talk all the time, and screw everything up, JUST like he said!"

Austin ran his hands through his hair, pacing anxiously across the room.

"Who's he?" Ally said softly. "What are you talking about?"

"Reese Mitchell! I read the book because I wanted to come to you and say, you're not at all like he said. But actually, he's got you spot on!"

"What are you saying?" Ally said, tears filling in her eyes.

"I'm saying," Austin yelled, "that Reese Mitchell was right!"

"Please take that back," Ally said.

"The poor, innocent, helpless, I can't write girl, has co-authored three quarters of a hit and is holding it ransom because she can't get what she wants! She lives in her fairy tale world, unaware she needs to grow up!"

"PLEASE SHUT UP!" Ally screamed. "He's wrong! And so are you!"

Tears were full on streaming out her eyes, as she grabbed her coat and her purse, rushing out the door.

"Wait! Ally, I'm sorry!"

/

"Kira, hi, about the last verse…" Austin said, words trailing off. "I'm so sorry but-"

"I got the lyrics," Kira said. "Ally faxed them over this morning, so beautiful. What I always wanted to say to my boyfriend."

Kira clamped a pair of headphones on Austin's head. "Let's take it from the new ending, yes?"

He nodded. She had finished the song, even after he had yelled at her?

The tempo started and Kira held the microphone, Gandhi-ish music playing behind her.

_There are moments when I don't know if it's real_

_Or if anybody feels the way I feel_

_I need inspiration_

_Not just another negotiation_

All he could feel at that moment was pain and regret soaring through him. He didn't notice the chorus went on, drabbling and he missed his key.

"Kira, we need to talk."


	11. remorse

"Hi," Austin said sheepishly. "Ally."

Ally shoved a file into the box she was packing, placing it in the back of the store. "Hi."

"You coming to the concert tomorrow?" Austin asked.

"Can't disappoint the kids," she whispered.

"Dez is bringing his daughter along as well, should be fun," Austin said. "The last verse…um," he continued, throat going dry.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"I'm sorry," he said.

She sighed and pressed her fingers to her temple, as if she was attempting to hold herself together.

"Well, you know, life isn't a fairy tale, and I have to grow up…" she said. "I'm gonna do that in Florida."

"That's ridiculous!" Austin said. "No one grows up in Florida, unless they're an orange!"

"I'm managing the new Weight-Not branch in Boca," Ally said.

"You should be writing, not fighting obesity!" Austin said.

"Austin, you said it yourself. I need to grow up. So I am," Ally murmured.

"Ally…" he said. "I can't…I can't do it, without you. I need you."

"You don't need me," she said, turning around and letting a bittersweet smile plaster itself on her face. "I'm the one that screws everything up, remember?"

"I didn't mean it. I was mad, half drunk from the party," Austin said. "Please."

"People say things they're too afraid to say sober when they're drunk," Ally said, "not things that are far from true."

"I told a fat old lady she was beautiful!" Austin said. "I think that's not always the case."

"Whatever, Austin," Ally said. "I'll see you at the concert."


	12. don't write me off just yet

"Roger, go ahead and take the kids in," Trish said, holding an almost-nervous-breakdown Ally to the left of her. "I love you, you wonderful man. Now go!"

Roger quickly grabbed both of them and led them into the entrance.

Trish turned to focus her attention back on Ally. "Okay, come on hun, we need to get in."

"I can't do it," Ally said. "I can't go in there and look at him."

Trish sighed, stopping on the steps to the entrance, shaking Ally by her arms. "Look, these kids have gone and told all their friends that their Aunt Ally wrote Kira Starr's new song! You have to do this Ally. For them, for you, for me. Please."

"I know, I know, it's just…I'm not even their real Aunt."

Trish rolled her eyes.

"This will be good for you. It's your song, your moment to shine," Trish said. "After this, you two can go your separate ways, you in Florida and him with whatever tramp he screws over next, okay?"

She nodded, wiping at her eyes, linking her arms with Trish.

They made their way to their seats a few minutes late, as Kira was finishing her song and the audience was roaring.

"I'd like you to hear something very special, something very different," Kira said as the audience died down.

"This is it, weirdo," Trish smiled. "Your song."

"A song no one has heard before," Kira said, with a smile, "a song no one has heard before."

"Go Aunt Ally!" Lucy cheered, as Roger and Trish smiled at her.

"Written by Mr. Austin Moon," Kira finished.

"What?" Ally gaped.

"What?!" Trish yelled. "Austin Moon and Ally Dawson!"

"I can't believe it," Ally said. "He stole my song. He stole my freaking song!"

"Ally, honey," Trish started, but Ally shook her head.

"No, no, I'm just gonna go," she whispered, pushing her way through the row and making her way towards the exits, until Austin actually started singing.

_It's never been easy for me_

_To find words to go along with a melody_

_But this time there's actually_

_Something on my mind_

_So please forgive_

_These few brief awkward lines_

_Since I met you my whole life has changed_

_It's not just my furniture you've rearranged_

_And though I know based on my track record_

_I may not seem like the safest bet_

_All I'm asking you_

_Is don't write me off just yet_

Trish whipped her head around to the back, looking at Ally, who hadn't turned around yet, just standing idly in the open space between the seats, wondering if she was dreaming or if he had really pulled himself together to write a song.

For her.

_For years I've been telling myself_

_The same story_

_I'm happy to live off_

_In a former glory_

_But you've given me a reason_

_To take another chance_

_I need you despite the fact_

_That you've killed all my plants_

Ally couldn't help but giggle slightly, turning around and clasping her hands together, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

_And though I know_

_I've already blown more chances_

_Than anyone should ever get_

_All I'm asking you_

_Is don't write me off just yet_

The crowd cheered, Austin hopping off the piano and smirking at Ally from the stands and making a hand motion to the back door.

"Austin!" Ally yelled, running through and heading towards the backstage entrance.

"Nobody backstage," the bouncer said.

"I have to get up there, I know Kira," Ally said, peeking over his head to the back.

"She's okay," Facepuncher said, stepping forward.

"There's nobody backstage," the bouncer mumbled.

"I said, she's okay."

The bouncer immediately shrunk back from the intensity of Facepuncher and opened up the ropes as Ally ran through the back entrance.

Austin was sitting in an oversized make-up chair, allowing one of the make-up girls to quickly powder his face before dashing off to a set in the back.

She caught his eye and he smiled, probably bigger than he had ever before in his life.

"Austin," Ally said, catching her breath. "That…that song."

"I'm sorry," he said. "Best I could do, you could fix it."

She smiled with tears in her eyes. "No, that song was dinner."

Austin smirked. "And you're the sweetest dessert."

He picked her up, spinning her around and praying that she wouldn't dash off again. She squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck, his around her waist, like pieces of a puzzle.

She could hear Kira announcing their song, saying both their names, as Austin pressed her into his chest securely.

_My newest song, Music & Lyrics by Ally Dawson and Austin Moon, A Way Back Into Love…_

She nuzzled her head into his head, before jerking it back up. The melody that was playing was hers. The original melody.


	13. the end of a way back into love

"Oh my god," Ally mustered, "oh my god!"

Austin chuckled and opened his arms for another hug, which she greatly accepted.

"How did you…what happened to steamy and sticky?"

He shook his head. "I explained to Kira that it violated the very core of the lyrics, and corrupted the purity of the song," he said.

"And when that didn't work, I told her it would help me win you back, and that did it."

Ally grinned. "Really?"

"Turns out although she thought the Dalai Lama was, actually, a llama, she is quite the romantic," he said.

"Go!" Ally said. "Go sing our song."

"Please welcome Mr. Austin Moon!" Kira screamed into the stadium.

_I've been living with a shadow overhead_

_I've been sleeping with a cloud above my bed_

_I've been lonely for so long_

_Trapped in the past I just can't seem to move on_

Ally smiled as Austin grabbed the microphone, looking down from the stage at her.

_I've been hiding all my hopes and dreams away_

_Just in case I ever need 'em again someday_

_I've been setting aside time_

_To clear a little space in the corners of my mind_

_All I wanna do is find a way back into love_

_I can't make it through without a way back into love_

She held a thumbs up, smiling at him prancing around at the stage, popping his collar in the process.

_I've been watching but the stars refuse to shine_

_I've been searching but I just don't see the signs_

_I know that it's out there_

_There's gotta be something for my soul somewhere_

_I've been looking for someone to shed some light_

_Not somebody just to get me through the night_

_I could use some direction_

_And I'm open to your suggestions_

Austin whispered something in Kira's ear, and she smiled and nodded as he threw the microphone down and hopped off the stage, rushing back to Ally.

"Dessert?" he whispered, pulling her into him.

"Dinner," she smirked.

And with that, he closed the space in between them, connecting their lips again for what felt like had been an eternity, solving the unfinished puzzle.

/

_And if I open my heart to you_

_I'm hoping you'll show me what to do_

_And if you help me to start again_

_You know that I'll be there for you in the end…_


End file.
